Friday, May 19, 2017

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Chris Cornell Edition






As I am sure most of you reading this are aware, there was sad news in the music world this week as we learned of the passing of Chris Cornell. Details surrounding the death were still being investigated as of this writing, but evidence and reports point to an apparent suicide. I was stunned when I heard the news and deeply saddened since. I know I did not personally know the man, but his music and his voice brought so much joy to my life. I was a huge Soundgarden fan during the height of their fame, and the first Audioslave album navigated me through some dark times in my life. Eventually I will write the Reflections On…Audioslave post that I have on my “to write” list, which will explain that navigation in much more detail.

Since hearing the news of his death, I have been listening to a lot of Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Chris Cornell solo work. Each song I listen to holds a special memory in my head and a special place in my heart. I was fortunate enough to see Soundgarden live once, with Nine Inch Nails (another post that I should write), and I am now more grateful than ever that I got to see him perform live. Superunknown, Down on The Upside, and the aforementioned Audioslave were all soundtracks to my life at one point or another.

This edition of Friday’s Rockin’ Roundup is dedicated to Chris Cornell. He was a vocal talent unlike any I’ve listened to and he will be missed. May he rest in peace.

Here’s the Chris Cornell Tributes that rocked:

The New York Times wrote a detailed obituary on this legend that is worth reading. Their tribute to Chris Cornell is a touching remembrance on all the joy that Cornell brought to people across the world.

The Washington Post also gave a touching tribute to the legend that follows his career from the early days in Seattle all the way through the current tour.

Gizmodo posted their take on the passing of Chris Cornell, but also on the unexpected passing of celebrities in general. The article discusses the “strange new ritual” that fans go through when remembering a fallen hero---diving through the internet for social media posts in the celebrities’ final moments. An interesting quick read that reflects how tributes have changed over the past decade.

USA Today gathered a lot of the early tweets from musicians that paid tribute to Cornell. It’s clear that he meant a lot not just to fans, but also to his peers.

A legend has passed. He will be missed, but his music will be remembered for ages